Southern Vermont, Western New England kick off D-III Week

Mountaineer senior Anthony Mercuri set a program single game record with eight runs batted in and three runs scored. His RBI total was more than SVC had charted as a team in any previous game this year.

Southern Vermont athletics photo

Southern Vermont bats opened up Monday morning while its starting pitcher went a strong nine innings for the Mountaineers to down Newbury 12-1 at the NECC series with the Nighthawks. Mountaineer designated hitter Anthony Mercuri had a monster day, going 3-4 with two home runs and a double. His eight RBI total is a new program record and fell just one shy of the most by any Division III player this season.

Held to one hit over the first five innings, Tufts exploded for seven runs and eight hits in the sixth and seventh innings en route to a 10-4 non-league win over Salem State. Mike McLaughlin finished 2 for 3 with three rbis and two runs scored, while Malcolm Nachmanoff was 2 for 4 with two rbis and a run. The game was the first of the 2017 season at Tufts' Huskins Field.

WPI senior Mike Vaitkunas and Babson junior Teddy Carey dueled through seven complete while the Engineers exploded for five runs, highlighted by a three-run rocket by junior Matt Howard in the top of the ninth to key an 8-2 victory over host Babson at Govoni Field.

Grove City earned a 4-1 home win over Thiel as they handed the Tomcats their first conference loss and snapped their eight game win streak. Sophomore pitcher John Bini fired a complete game for Grove City, striking out three in nine innings. Bini improved to 2-0 this season and 11-0 for his career. Grove City broke a 1-1 tie by scoring three times in the bottom of the eighth.

Western New England split a CCC doubleheader with Gordon at Murren Family Field on the campus of Trinity College. The Golden Bears erupted offensively in the opener on their way to a 19-9 victory, before falling 4-2 in game two. Junior infielder Jared Rosenblatt was among five Golden Bears to drive in multiple runs in game one, as he went 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple, a home run and four RBI. In game two, Gordon senior lefthander Matt Amore was strong on the mound for the Fighting Scots, as he allowed just two runs on five hits over a complete game performance.

Sophomore Tommy Epsaro hit two home runs, both in the fourth inning, leading a nine-run fourth inning explosion en route to a 16-2 win over FDU-Florham in MAC Freedom action. After being no-hit in Sunday's first game, DeSales has outscored the Red Devils 24-2 in the final two games of the series.

Bridgewater State extended their win streak to four game with a 9-5 win over UMass Dartmouth on Monday.
Bridgewater State athletics photo

The visiting Bridgewater State Bears posted a 9-5 victory over UMass Dartmouth in non-conference action. Bridgewater State was paced by junior Alex Carey who went 2-for-4 at the plate, driving in a game-high four runs.

Endicott split its CCC doubleheader with Curry at North Field. Endicott fell to Curry, 3-2 (8 inn.), in game one but bounced back in the nightcap with a 2-0 victory to earn the split. Curry junior right-hander David Griffin picked up the win (1-2) on seven innings pitched, five hits, two runs (both earned), three walks, and four strikeouts. The Gulls responded in game two behind shutdown pitching efforts from Joseph Oriola and Colby Morris. Oriola spun five scoreless innings for his first collegiate win – which included four strikeouts – while Morris locked down his first save of the year on two hitless frames.

Houghton hit Elmira hard in the final game of their Empire 8 Conference series, which was made up on Monday evening in Houghton after being postponed on Friday. The Highlanders won the contest, 16-6, while taking the 2017 series from the Soaring Eagles, two-games-to-one. The Highlanders racked up 19 hits, tied for the most EC has surrendered to an opponent this season, including a pair of home runs. They never trailed after collecting a combined five runs in the second and third innings.

Freshman Christopher Palmiero earned his first collegiate victory on the mound to help RPI to a doubleheader split with RIT at Robison Field. The Engineers won game two, 4-2, after dropping the opener, 3-2. In game one RIT sophomore Daniel Zeglen picking up the win. He allowed two runs on three hits in 4.2 innings, striking out two an walking two.